Franklin w



" Mel) I F. W. BROOKS.

SEAL.

No. 550,478. Patented Nov. 26. 1895.

WITNESSES; /NVENTOB W'WXW A TTORNEY AN DREW EYGRAHAM. PHOTO UTHOWASHINGTDNDC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN IV. BROOKS, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,478, dated November26, 1895.

Application filed April 2 7, 1 895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN W. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inbaggage-seals, and particularly that class which forms thesubject-matter of Letters Patent granted to me on the 19th day of June,1894, No. 521,632, and in which the seal is composed of a sheetmetalcup, a lead plug, and a wire bail. In the Letters Patent above referredto the bail passes through a radial orifice in the inclined flange ofthe sheet-metal cup and is formed with a guard, which is designed tobridge the orifice, and the opposite end of the wire is wrapped ortwisted around the shank of the headed projection on the soft-metalplug.

My present invention is designed to dispense with the necessity ofwrapping or twistin g the free end of the wire around the shank of thesoft-metal plug and to facilitate the operation of putting the severalparts in position and likewise to secure a more positive and effectuallocking of the ends of the wire in place; and with these ends in view myinvention consists in the peculiarities of construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter and in detail described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofone of my improved seals with the parts in proper relation and beforecompression. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the changes effected bycompression. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the parts separated. Fig. atis a side View of a modification of the soft-metal plug and showing thesame with a continuous flange below the wire orifices. Fig. 5 is a planview showing a modification of the locking ends of wire. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section of another modification of the soft-metal plug, andshowing the wires interlocked with projecting shoulders and held inplace before and after compression by a diametric bridge. Fig.

Serial No. 547,337. (No model.)

'7 is a transverse section taken at line 00 cc of Fig. 6.

Similar letters and numerals denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

A represents a sheet-metal cup with a continuous flange slightlyconverging, as shown. B is a soft-metal plug of hat form, the crownbeing hollow and the rim aeXtended,

so as to pass by slight pressure within the inner periphery of the topedge of beveled flange of sheet-metal cup A. The soft-metal plug isformed with wire orifices 1 1, leading into the space under the crown,and these orifices may be made above and adjacent to the rim a, thusleaving the rim continuous, as shown at Fig. 4, or the wire orifices maypass through the rim 0., as shown at Fig. 3. In the first constructionthe production of the soft-metal plug would be accomplished by themolding process, while in the latter form the construction might beeffected by subjecting the soft metal to the action of dies and in manyrespects may therefore be preferred to the form shown at Fig. 3,although in both cases the same general result is secured when the partsare finally compressed. In the modification shown. at Fig. 6 thesoft-metal hat-shaped plug is formed with a diametric bridge 6, locatedbetween the wire orifices, and the interior surface of the wall is cutaway, as shown, to leave projecting shoulders 2 2, behind which theenlarged ends of the wire bail spring and interlock.

In preparing my improved seal for the market I prefer to first assemblethe sheet-metal cup A and soft plug B, which is done by forcing the rimof the plug within the flange or side wall of the cup in such mannerthat the frictional contact between the two will maintain them in thatrelation. I then force one end of the wire bail through one of theorifices or gates 1, whereupon it will expand behind the wall of theplug and in the space under the crown. The seals are then in conditionfor use, and when using the same the free end of the wire is passed intothe other gate or orifice 1 of the plug and operatingin like manner, asalready described with reference to the concealed end of the wire, theseal with its bail is in proper position to be readily grasped andcompressed by any of the well-known sealing-presses, and when socompressed the bail-wire is carried downwardly from the top edge of thesheet-metal cup to constitute a right-angled hook, While the loop coilor other enlargement of the end of the wire traverses horizontally andat right angles to the first-named hook and gives a strong and durablelock. The crown of the soft-metal plug being substantially hollow, asshown, makes the plug very easy to com press and the rim (,1, under thecompressive action of the seal-press, is forced circumferentially intothe inclined space below the edge of the flange of sheet-metal cup. Thecrown of the soft-metal plug receives the impression of the charactersor letters out upon the dies of the press in a very distinct and perfectmanner, by reason of the fact that a smooth and uninterrupted surface ispre sented to their action, and a very safe and neat seal is the netresult.

The presence of the bridge I), illustratedin the modification shown atFig. 6, serves to deflect the hook end of the Wire and force it intocontact with the locking-shoulders 2 2 in threading the wire beforecompression, and when compressed the metal composing said bridge fillsthe space between the ends of the wire and secures them permanently inplace.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A baggage or car seal embodying in its or ganization a sheet metal cup Awith converging wall, a hollow hat-shaped soft metal plug B, with wirechannels or orifices 1, 1, and a bail wire with its ends adapted to passthrough the channels 1, 1, and interlock with. the wall of the hat,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN WV. BROOKS.

Witnesses EDWIN L. BRADFORD, N. CURTIS LAMMOND.

